Book repair and restoration

We offer a comprehensive book repair and restoration service with a wide range of facsimile papers and leather to achieve as near as possible match to the existing materials.

We strive to keep as much of the original binding as possible and where spines are missing, replacements are made to look as near to original as possible. The adhesives used in these repairs are fully reversible

We are always available to advise on what is best for the book and can give free advice on value and whether the repair would be a good investment ( or help find you a better copy on the internet).

As each individual repair is different, it is difficult for us to give an exact price until we have seen the book.

Prices usually start from £45 for cloth and £75 for leather where the stitching is undamaged.

If the book needs re sewing this will usually add £20 to £60 to the above prices.

One of the most time consuming processes is that of repairing pages. Our approach and techniques to paper repair vary on the age, value and historical importance of the book. These include Japanese tissue repairs using pure wheat starch paste.

You are more than welcome to ask for a no obligation quote - ( we love books and can talk about them all day!)

We endeavor to keep as much as the original binding as possible.

These books above once belonged to "Alfred Lord Tennison" and form part of a nationally important collection.

It is imperative that none of the original binding is lost and that any repair undertaken must be completely reversible.

These books where all originally bound in the "fast back" style where the spine leather is glued directly onto the spine.

This style of repair is one of the most difficult a bookbinder can undertake. The leather is wafer thin and the gold leaf tooling on the spines can easily come away.

The original leather has been painstakingly removed from the spine, a new calf spine has been attached invisibly onto the original boards and the original spine replaced on top.